TAs to teach class on the grass today

People on College Green today and tomorrow may be soaking up something besides the rays of April sun. They may be soaking up part of their $15,000 education. The Graduate Student Associations Council is kicking off their second annual Graduate Teaching Awareness Days, dubbed "Class in the Grass," on College Green today. Weather permitting, GSAC has urged graduate students to take their classes, recitations and office hours outside for the next two days. According to GSAC Vice President Elizabeth Hunt, the graduate student organization has even thrown in an incentive, offering "free beer" coupons for the Fine Arts Happy Hour tomorrow to graduate students who participate. Graduate student leaders said they hope to make the contributions of graduate students known to the University, along with making students aware of issues pertinent to them. "It's a good way to increase graduate student involvement and awareness about the issues GSAC is dealing with, to show both the rest of the community and ourselves what we're dealing with," outgoing Graduate and Professional Student Assembly Chairperson Susan Garfinkel said last night. The idea for the days originated last year in a GSAC subcommittee designed to formulate actions to aid graduate students in achieving their goals in debates with the administration. Hunt said that the days are also important to make graduate students visible to the entire University community. "The days are about increasing campus-wide awareness of the role graduate students play in University life," Hunt said. "We want to make the campus community aware of research assistants, [Writing Across the Univeristy] Fellows, as well as teaching assistants." According to GSAC President Michael Polgar, there will be a registration table where graduate students can sign in for the event and receive materials for the day. Polgar said he hopes even more than last year's approximately 100 teaching assistants and 1000 students will be on the Green throughout the two days. Graduate student leaders will also be handing out information about GSAC and graduate student-related issues, along with buttons commemorating the event. Polgar said he thought one of the main causes of concern would be next year's proposed health insurance premium for graduate students. In case of inclement weather, the event's raindate is April 18 and 19. However, the forecast for today is sunny skies and temperatures in the mid 60s.

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